Dawn Treader Filming Report from Michael
NarniaWeb spy Michael sent us a copy of his report from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader filming complete with a lot of pictures. It turns out there are a lot more creatures aboard the ship than just one minotaur and Reepicheep.
Cleveland Point 6:15 am, shooting beginning at 7:30am
The sunrise breaks through the clouds lighting up the Dawn Treader swaying side to side and back and forth going through its morning mechanical exercise. There had been rain over night and two major cranes shifted off the sight that had been used for the fly over shoots.
The access staircase is moved into position and film crew begin to climb the stair structure in single file to board the Dawn Treader. The ship towers over a sea of portable camouflage tents.A group of experts meet on the deck and point towards the direction of the sun, wind and boats and nod. They disband and an announcer sound checks in a mono tone voice says, “Good morning”. He continues to announce key decision and warns when the DT will be moved into a new position.
All the equipment begins to morph back into a controlled state by an army of crew. About 20 Narnian sailors enter the site as the Dawn Treader is moved into position for the first shoot “Shot 64:8”. A giant crane raises a huge blue screen blocking the view. An hour later the screen is lowered and the Dawn Treader is rotated 180 degrees so that the decorative dragon head is pointing out to sea. It is an awesome display as this monster of a ship is moved skilfully through the array of portable tents and cranes.
Shooting has been said to continue until the end of September at this site. It’s worth a look and take a camera.
Huge thanks to Michael for sending in your pictures and report!
Apologies for the size of some of these pictures. Getting them to show up so they don't stretch the screen is on our to-do list.
Awesome! But I'm not sure about all the "mythological creatures"…
Mythological creatures?? :S
I'm kind of weird this way, but I don't mind creatures being on board for the movie.
Ah, so I see a dwarf, minotaur, faun, and then there'll be Reep of course. I'm not sure whether or not I like this change, but I can see why they'd do it. I mean, PC was about freeing the Narnia from Telmarine control. It makes sense for Caspian to allow these newly-freed Narnians to voyage with him aboard the Dawn Treader.
Very Interesting…
Mythological creatures!!???? They weren't suppose to have any but reep!!!!
I like all the creatures. It kind of makes me think. Why didn't C.S. Lewis include fauns, minotaurs and dwarves on the ship? I like them there. I agree totally with Silver the Wanderer. It makes perfect sense. I'm willing to be flexible with the changes they have done, because all of them have made the movies better in my opinion and more for older people too.
On princible, I don't like them putting creatures on board, but I can't help liking the thought of seeing them scrambling up the ratlines! And I really like the minotaurs, even if they weren't in the book. They're so cool. And I'm more worried about the storyline of VDT being correct, than having the right crew members on board.
"It turns out there are a lot more creatures aboard the ship than just one minotaur and Reepicheep."
…aw crud. That's exactly what I was afraid of. 🙁
Yay, I'm actually happy that they're including more Narnians on the ship, rather than just having all hired sailors. The faun guy looks interesting.
And also, I think it only makes sense to include a few creatures alongside the humans. Why should the fauns and dwarves be excluded? Narnia isn't racist! (Am I supposed to reply to my own comment? Hope it's all right!)
Ugh. Why do they have to have other creatures on the ship? I don't mind the fauns, and I suppose dwarfs would be okay, though I didn't notice any in the pictures, but I'm upset about the minotaurs. WHY do they have to have minotaurs in every single movie? And what exactly makes them think a huge furry creature with horns and hoofswould make a good sailor??
It will be interesting to see how they are going to include in the story line…it could be more exciting than hurtful…awesomonius. Long Live Aslan !!!
I don't really mind other creatures…Except for minataurs. Minotaurs just aren't sailors. Period. But that's not something that'll ruin the movie for me. I can't wait until it comes out! Or at least the trailer. *g*
I see edmund in the second picture, shane rangi in the second last and another guy in a minotaur suit, and in the last shane rangi and a faun
I'm beginning to grow on the idea of having other creatures on ship, as long as it doesn't take the spotlight away from Reepicheep. Minotaurs are the only one I too agree shouldn't be there, but I'll just get used to it.
Looks pretty cool. But why, WHY, are there other creatures besides Reep?! And I don't care if it makes sense, it wasn't in the book! *Sigh* Why can't people just follow the book?
Where's Edmund?!
I really dont mind other creatures being on board! i think it will just add to the movie! SAIL ON DAWN TREADER!!!
because maybe it'll come out better than we thought. Maybe they have minotaurs on the ship in case they run into pirates or something.
If that's the least that they change, I'll be forever grateful. Yeah, it's not in the book, but it's not a plot change.
To echo someone above, is that Edmund in the third picture?
Yes, at least it dosen't change a plot.
NO! Reep should be the only creature on board. I knew there was going to be a minotaur on board, but I really hope there aren't two! I agree with Starlily that Narnia isn't racist. But, just because they weren't on the Dawn Treader doesn't mean they were excluded. They might not have want to have been on the boat.
fantasia_kitty – I don't mind having the pictures so big. It shows details better.
Me neither Reep…now centaurs might be a little much…but I dont mind fauns and dwarves and a couple minotarus!
i suppose they're putting mythical creatures on board to keep the "narnia air", if whatever way to put it. but other than that this is all so exciting! i never believed they would let us narniawebbers in on behind the scenes stuff and sort before its even finished! this is so cool to see pictures and here news about everything!
I agree.
I see Edmund. In the second pic, top right corner.
It just seems like they feel like they have to add more "mythical" creatures to keep people interested. I really dislike that. I loved the only human crew! (Besides Reep, of course.) So, I spotted Shane, and Skandar! Finally!
Hardcore! Getting to see creatures on the ship! I forgot about that being in the book! Or was it? Ha I dunno! Still awesome!
I once again repeat, the Chronicles are not just for children! They do not need to be aged.
Picture in your mind's eye: a raging storm, the ship tossing about, the centaur struggles to maintain his balance, he gets tossed over board. Same thing for the minotaurs and fauns. They have hooves, they won't be able to balance at sea. Dwarfs I think would be okay. As for why Reepicheep is the only one in the book, it adds a little something more to his character since he is the only nonhuman on the ship.
It wasn't.
I think having other Narnian creatures aboard will be a good way to have continuity from LWW and PC. Not to mention I'll be glad to see them again!
They might have the centaurs and such creatures there because they need them for one of their "pitched battles". Ugh.
Thanks so much for sharing your report and pictures, Michael! It rocks to see and know more about the filming of VotDt, especially for those of us who're an ocean away!!
I agree, I think after all the changes that were made with PC we need to not freak or be too disappointed when changes are made (that aren't in the book) with DT. I mean, as much as we want them to they can't film the book.
Whatever thay do, I think it will be great. 🙂
Guys, we have to remember, they are trying to make the movies 1. for an older audience, and 2. they want the movies to be watched by non-fans of the series… the story has to be interesting for them, and plus… we all have to learn to enjoy the movie as itself, totally seperate from the book.. that way there are two similar but differnt things to enjoy! 🙂 Trufflehunter's not on the ship, so be happy about that!!! (or sad 🙁 …)
That's the spirit! haha… Enjoy the movie as something seperate from the book! I mean, it's impossible for it to be exactly the same!!!
Samuel the magnificent- it would make no sense to have Minotours on the dawn treader because they are so heavy so what would be the point? They probably can't really do any good work anyways. They didn't even get attacked by pirates in the book anyways!
Trufflehunter…The point is that they are making the books and they should follow the books. They aren't for older audiences, and they're not for those who haven't read the books. The people who really want to see this movie are the fans of the books. =D You can't seperate them, because the movie is based off the book…What would be the point of making a movie from the book and not follow it? Make a new movie instead.
Haha when I first read "filming report from Michael" in the title I thought it was talking about Micahel Apted.
Not too thrilled with the extra creatures. Especially if there are actually centaurs. That would make no sense. What help would they be? And they wouldn't be able to fit anywhere anyways.
That's what I thought initially, but I'm not so sure now, couldn't that just be one of the crew members, in their maroon vest thingys? Of course Edmund could be wearing that, but I imagined him to have something different on than the regular crew, he is a king afterall.
Of course VoDT can't be exactly the same as the book. That would make it boring because it would be TOTALLY predictable. I liked LWW, but not PC. For instance, I liked the waterfall scene in LWW because it added to the story, even though it was not in the book. But PC was just way too changed. The castle raid was not adding to it, it was changing it. I hope they make it more like LWW.
This is a movie, not real life. Minotaurs and centaurs do not need to be balancing and all that dumb stuff. Reep was boring and annoying in the PC so they needed to add more creatures. Also, (always narnia) did you watch the BBC Chronicles of Narnia. They followed the book exactly and I went to sleep watching it. Let the movie producers make the movie.
That's it.
I officially hate minotaurs.
=[
I'm really happy to see Narnians aboard the ship. I think it will only add to the story seeing fauns and minotaurs and dwarfs. They will add to the great visuals we'll already be seeing. Honestly, minotaurs would make sense aboard the Dawn Treader- with their strength, they would be great oarsmen.
Did I see…………….Skandar!?!? I hope that's him! I love the pictures! SAIL ON VDT!!!
I still don't know, they'll look weird. Besides, the Narnians aren't sailors anymore! And neither are the Telmarines. The book makes it sound like almost the entire crew was hired from Galma or the Seven Isles, since they're islands, they would have to have skilled seamen. Drinian couldn't have gained enough experience to sail the ship to the world's end in only three years if he was a Telmarine.
The entire point of the voyage was so Caspian could find the Lost Lords, it wasn't a voyage for all of Narnia.
Certainly going to be mixed feelings about the Narnians aboard the Dawn Treader. Let the discussions begin in GMD! Did anyone not see this coming? ;)) Two thumbs-up here.
Really?!?!?! Where?!?!?!
I am not excited about having tons of creatures on board….at all……..
But the Dawn Treader is an ABSOLUTE BEAUTY!!!!!!!!!! I think that's one of the worst things about the BBC…their DT was SO drab and SO plain…it really was the little dump of a boat that Eustace accused it of being. Eustace can make fun of this one all he wants and it won't matter because it really is a beautiful ship!
I completely agree
Well, not unexpected. I'm not concerned about it, myself. Personally I think anything that doesn't have feet/claws would not be very useful onboard ship (so no minotaurs, fauns or centaurs), but this issue is about the least of my concerns about the film. It will be time to protest when we hear of an on-ship romance, a certain witch appearing early, or Aslan eating the Chief Dufflepud.
Great Pictures, Thanks for the Report. I wish so bad I could see the Dawn Treader, just to see her in the flesh. That would be awesome!
I hope no witch appears at all! Nor any romance…although some may appear at the end.
I absolutely love the BBC version because following the books is the whole point of making a movie BASED ON THE BOOKS
I don't have a problem with the additional creatures because Caspian was fighting for them in PC. Granted, some of them don't really make sense as sailors, but I don't remember it being clearly said WHY there were no creatures on board. I don't even remember it being said specifically that there weren't any. Sure none were talked about, but who's to say there wasn't some creature that was just some background sailor that was just doing his job and minding his own business and therefore didn't warrant a mention?
I don't understand why they are doing that. The Chronicles of Narnia are fantastic books, and It's illogical changing the way the books are just to make the movie more comercial.
"Just say no to…" "mythological creatures"…GAH!
but, the ship is looking absolutely beautiful!!!